Southampton Oil slick.

[R0vers]

After packing everything up last Thursday for a four day tour of the Isle of Wight, I came bombing down to catch the 8.00pm ferry. Having reached the outskirts of Southampton, the @ decided that enough was enough, and subsequently the sump plug came undone... with the oil light blinding me, i killed the engine and freewheeled into a slip road...with oil pouring out all over the place. not knowing what on earth was happening, and fearing the VERY worst, i was trying to glide her to a "nice spot" - which later turned out to be the red light district of southampton!!!

At this point i was very close to crying like a baby thinking of the amount of money an engine rebuild would be... how i would get back home on the train etc...

So i depressingly, took of the panniers to get to the tool kit - I decided that at least i would do was to take the belly pan off to see the extent of the damage... And there it was!!!! - the most beautiful sight ever - the sump hole. With its clean threads shining like diamonds.

By the point the cavalry was on its way - and whilst patiently trying to persuade the RAC that this could be fixed and they really didn’t need their trailer, the friendly sight of the little orange van pops up - after a scramble in the back of his van to see if anything would plug the hole - we found an old oil pressure switch from a car.... Perfect thread!!!! Complete with a lock washer. A quick drive in his van to buy some oil - filled her up again - and fired her up. Phhew... no clunking- and as ever running like a Swiss watch. !!!!!whhhoo hhoooo!!!

So - after a potentially bankrupting start to the trip -we missed the 8.00pm ferry - but managed to squeeze onto the 11.00pm one - and a faultless trip round the island and now rather depressingly back at work!

[Tarka]

So there I was,just approaching Southampton on my everso shiny new bike.

Suddenly the back of the bike tried to overtake the front and I went sliding along the road,trashing my bike,all my riding gear and also ended up missing my ferry,so the holiday I`d been looking forward to was ruined......


Hope you reported the oil slick you`d left behind...........



But glad yer bike`s ok....

[africajim]

LOL! Good that it all panned out ok in the end mate.

I was changing oil on my girlfriend's SR125 yesterday when she came home and started chatting, well, I'm pouring the oil in wondering what the tinkling noise is from the left side of the bike, yeah, you guessed it! No plug in! Not so much loss as you mate, only half a litre! Just shows you what distraction can do!

On bad starts to holidays, I made it to the ferry at Newcastle last year, strapped down the bike myself, bit of a hassle with where to tie the straps. Any how, next day when taking the bike off the ferry it wouldn't start! Nothing, no power to starter, so we pushed the bike off to the quay. Right, you're supposed to be mechanic, what would stop the bike starting? I've checked the fuses, it's getting power coz the lights are on, it just won't start! Why would a bike not start when you push the button? Kill switch maybe? DOH!

All adds to the memory of the trip in my view, also reminds you of how disasters can occur through simple man made errors! I know how you must have felt when you thought your trip was cancelled before it really started, it's horrendous! All's well that ends well mate!

Any how, glad the bike's fine and you enjoyed your trip.

[GSPD750]

Sooo....inquiring minds want to know. Who's the limp wristed mech that torqued the oil drain plug.
Glad to hear that you shut down immediatley and saved your motor.

[Reevie]

Two questions:-
who replaced the sump plug last time

And why does it take four days to tour the isle of Widget

[GSPD750]

My guess is that the installer threaded the plug on by hand and got distracted by another job such as installing the filter...then totally forgot to go back and tighten the plug. It happens. Vibration did the rest.
Rule of thumb is, if your putting a fastener or plug on...FINISH it right away.
If you used a torque wrench on that plug it probably would not have got missed either.